A Little Triumph
by BrenRenQoI
Summary: Missing scene from between Nemesis and Small Victories. Part of the Missing Moments Series.


A Little Triumph

by Bren Ren

* * *

"Damn it!" Sam stared at the silent Stargate in frustration. "Maybe it's just taking them a bit longer than expected to get the Antarctic gate installed. I could try dialing somewhere else…"

Jack O'Neill sighed, not for the first time. They'd been stuck for days, and the provisions Thor left behind were beginning to dwindle. They'd be okay for a bit longer, but if it stretched on much longer, they were going to have to get creative.

"We're safe here, it's nice and quiet, and there's even a nice little creek nearby." Jack bent down and offered his hand out. "Come on, Teal'c rigged up a nice little fishing pole, and the stream is only a few minutes hike."

"Fishing, sir?" She smiled, a small blush of a smile as she glanced away from him. He dropped his hand down. "I know you can be a determined man, but isn't this going a little far just to get me to go fishing with you?"

"You're not gonna tell me you'd still rather be buried under a mountain of rock playing with your doohickeys and gadgets, are you?"

Sam looked around as if seeing the surroundings for the first time. It was a rather picturesque scene, she had to admit. A low cropping of blue fir-like trees not far from the gate stretched out well into the horizon. On the other side of the gate clearing was a wall of sheer, bluish rock. The sun was high in the purplish sky and there wasn't a cloud in sight.

"Thor may have scrimped on the fixtures, but the scenery almost makes up for it," Jack commented. "Let's go catch some dinner," he said as he pulled Carter towards the tree line.

Sam let him lead her a few steps before gently dislodging her arm from his grip. "All right, I'm coming… just don't expect me to hold your pole."

"I should be so lucky," Jack muttered. "Fine. You can clean the fish."

"You wish," she replied. "Sir," she added belatedly.

They trudged onward in silence, and after a few minutes, Sam could make out the distinct sound of rushing water.

"There's a pool upstream just a bit, and the fish… well, not as big as back home, but they'll do." Jack turned to his right and began hiking at a faster clip, and Sam, tired as she was, had a bit of a struggle to keep up. Then, just behind a huge boulder, Jack came to a stop. Sam rounded the corner and gasped.

The pool was almost lake-sized, and the water was crystal clear. She could see dozens of good-sized fish swimming around, playing hide and seek near the rocky bottom. Jack sat down on a large rock and pulled his make-shift rod out. He proceeded to tie a bit of a shiny ration-wrapper to the end of the string and tossed it out onto the water.

"Sit down, Carter. Relax. That's an order." He smiled behind his words, a gentle one meant to soothe her.

"Yes, sir," she replied, sitting down beside him on the rock. "This is… nice. You can really just sit here all day doing nothing but… fishing?"

"Is it really so hard to imagine doing nothing?" Jack leaned back, resting his weight on his forearms. He turned his head to look at her.

"Yeah, I suppose it is." She paused and smiled at him. "There are some good reasons I don't vacation much. I usually end up bored out of my skull when I do. I really would rather be working. I know how… strange it is, but to me, work is fun."

"So… that's really why you didn't want to…" Jack trailed off, diverting his gaze back to the water.

"To what, sir?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

The muscles in his jaw twitched a couple of times before he answered. "To go fishing with me."

Sam looked confused. "I am fishing with you, sir. Well, sort of…"

"I meant back home. Or rather, in Minnesota."

Realization dawned on her fast. Her eyes widened, her jaw dropping open slightly. "Oh, that." She pursed her lips together, then absently nibbled on one corner. "It just didn't seem… appropriate, sir."

"There's nothing wrong with two coworkers and friends going fishing together—or are you still that mad at me?"

"Mad at you?" Sam mulled that over for a moment. She sighed before continuing. "No, I'm not mad. Not really." She paused, mindful of where the conversation was dangerously heading. "But…Sir. A public invitation to spend a week alone with you in a cabin in the middle of nowhere. When our relationship is already pushing the limits a lot farther than—"

Realization dawned on Jack just as quickly. "Sorry. Didn't really think about it that way."

"If things were different… you know I'd jump on your invitation in a heartbeat." Sam looked at him with longing. Then she blinked and it was gone. "But we really shouldn't keep flouting the regs the way we have been lately."

"You're right. As always. But I gotta say, this is getting old."

Sam sighed. "I know. I'm not crazy about it either. But what else can we do?"

"I could retire." Jack turned and looked her dead in the eye. "Just say the word."

"No." Her voice was resolute. "I can't let you give up your career for me any more than you could let me give up mine. I thought we already decided that wasn't an option."

"It's always an option, Sam. It's not the best option, but… who knows, maybe they'd be willing to let me stay on as a civilian."

"You are not a civilian, Sir. You are military through and through. It would drive you nuts."

"It works all right for Daniel. I'm just saying, it's worth considering."

"What happened to talking with the President?" Sam pulled her legs up and sat with them crossed in front of her.

"Haven't been able to. First that damn sting op got in the way, and he's been out of the country ever since. He was due to come back this week, and I was hoping to reach him while I was still on leave." Jack sat up and turned to face Sam. "I just want to have some options when I go talk with him. It occurred to me that while he may not be willing to give us 'permission to break the regs', he might be willing to let me resign my commission and stay on at the SGC as a civilian attachment."

Sam mulled the prospect over in her head for a while. "I doubt they'd let you continue to lead SG1 as a civilian."

"Depends on how grateful the President is feeling by the time we finally get home. We did just save the world again, you know. That shouldn't get old."

Sam smiled. "No, it shouldn't, sir."

"Are you ever gonna drop the 'sir' business?"

"We are still on duty, sir. It's only appropriate that we should—"

"We should be on leave, Sam. We should be enjoying a private cabin in the wilds of Minnesota. We should be able to enjoy one another's company without having to constantly look over our shoulders. There are a lot of things we should do, but we can't. Not normally. This, however," Jack gestured to the oddly colored scenery surrounding them, "is a far cry from normal. It may take days, even weeks, before Hammond gets that gate ready for incoming travelers; you said so yourself, before Thor dropped us off. Since we're stuck here with nothing better to do now, I suggest that we should relax. And drop the formalities."

"Dangerous territory, that is, sir," she said with a smile.

"Sam," he said in a warning tone.

"Sorry… Jack."

Jack smiled. "There, was that so hard?"

"I suppose not. But it may yet prove hard to get used to, sir— Jack." She smiled and glanced down, slightly embarrassed.

"I'm sure it won't be that hard," Jack replied.

"It may be harder than you think," she quipped back, glancing down at his rod. The pole he had nestled between his legs was starting to twitch.

Jack grinned, grabbing the pole between both hands, then, giving it a swift jerk, he yanked it completely out of the water. A fat fish was wriggling at the end. Jack dug a wad of rope out of a pocket and set it down beside him. He grabbed the slippery fish in one hand, dislodging the hook with the other, and then he shoved the end of the rope into the poor creature's mouth and out its gills.

"One down, two to go… then we eat!" Jack said with a grin. He tied the fish off and set it down in the shallow water near the rock on which he sat. He rubbed his hands in the water to rinse them off before tossing his line, with a fresh bit of wrapper, back into the water.

"Come on, it's your turn to hold the pole." Jack glanced down at the pole resting between his legs. "The fishing pole, that is."

Sam scooted a little closer, still keeping a respectable space between them. She reached out and took the pole from Jack, holding it so that the silvery bait bobbed across the water.

"This really is nice. I'm sure I'd love your cabin… Jack," she said softly. "I wish I could join you. I just don't see how it could happen. Not without one of us doing some serious job-compromising."

"And again, you're far less willing to compromise your job than I." Jack looked away from her. "I told you, I'd gladly retire in a heartbeat."

"You've never worried too much about your job," she replied. "There have been a few times if I've wondered if you were trying to get yourself fired."

"I've been tempted, believe me. If it meant you and I could have a chance…"

"I don't want you to give up your job for me, and that's all there is to it."

"Our only other option is to get you out from under my chain of command. Which means off of SG1." Jack frowned, not liking this option a bit. "I could talk to Hammond about you commanding one of the science teams…"

"I love being a part of SG1. I can't imagine not going out with you guys anymore. As much as I'd love my own command, I don't know that I'm really ready for that." Sam turned and looked at Jack once again. "Maybe down the line, eventually, but I don't know… And we're right back where we started, with no options left. Except to wait for… what exactly are we waiting for?"

"For hell to freeze over? I don't know anymore, Sam." Jack shook his head slowly. "Which is part of why I'm so damned tired of waiting. Can we at least determine when this waiting will end?"

"When we've beaten the Goa'uld and we know the earth is safe from all intergalactic foes?" Sam shook her head. "God only knows if or when that's going to happen…"

"We're not waiting forever, Sam." Jack reached out and took her hand. "And I had another idea…"

"I'm open to suggestions," she replied with a small smile.

"We could ask the president for permission to serve together as husband and wife."

Sam's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "What?"

"Stranger things have happened, you know. We make a damn good team, and even the President knows that. They wouldn't want to break us up any more than we would." Jack pulled her hand in close to his chest, and she could feel his heart pounding fast and furious. "What do you say, Sam? Marry me?"

A slow smile began filling her features. "I can't imagine anything I'd love more, Jack."

"Teal'c, buddy!" Jack called out as they crossed back into the clearing. The big Jaffa was sitting cross-legged near the DHD. He rose at Jack's voice and crossed to meet them. "We need your help with a little something," Jack said, not quite controlling the smirking grin lurking at the corners of his mouth.

"How may I be of assistance, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked.

Jack looked at Sam, who looked down blushing ever-so-slightly before looking up to Teal'c. "This amazing woman has agreed to be my wife, and we'd like you to do the honors." Teal'c frowned slightly, one eyebrow arching upward. "We'd like you to marry us. Today, even."

"I thought your military regulations prevented you from engaging in such a relationship. Are you certain this is a wise course of action?"

Jack reached over and slung an arm over Teal'c's broad shoulders. "They can't really touch us once we're married. It'll be fine. But thanks for the concern." Jack let his arm drop back down. "So what do you say?"

Teal'c turned his attention to Sam. "Are you certain that you wish to forever bind yourself to Colonel O'Neill?"

Sam shifted her eyes to Jack, a big smile lighting her face. "Oh yeah," she said with all due sincerity. "Teal'c… I've been…bound," she said with a slight wince, "to Colonel O'Neill since the day we met. This just makes it official. Well, semi-official. We'll have to wait until we get home to make it officially official. We're pretty certain that we'll be able to work out the details once we get back. And as Jack said, we did just save the world… they owe us a little something in return."

"Indeed," Teal'c said with a solemn nod of his head. "You are two of the most formidable warriors I have ever met. It has been my pleasure to watch the bond between you grow; I can only imagine that bond growing stronger throughout your time together. If it is truly your wish to be married," he paused, and both Sam and Jack nodded briefly, "then it would be my honor to officiate your ceremony."

"That's what I'm talkin' about," Jack said with a grin.

With Jack's permission, Teal'c gated out to Chulak for a run of supplies and the necessary ingredients to a "proper Jaffa wedding". He was only gone for a couple of hours, during which time Sam and Jack enjoyed planning for their future. They decided to live in Jack's house, but to keep Sam's, for the time being anyway. They also decided that they would waste no time contacting the President upon their return. They'd already run to much risk in breaking the regs, and they didn't want their marriage to be tainted by the dishonor of court martial proceedings.

When Teal'c returned, the three gathered together near the Stargate. Teal'c built a ceremonial fire, and Sam and Jack stood before him, hands joined together.

"Let this fire bear witness to this ceremony. May its flames keep warm the souls of those who came before us. We ask those spirits now to bless this union and protect it through each day of its existence." Teal'c paused, turning to Jack. "Now you may place the circle of fidelity on Major Carter's head." Jack placed a wreath of native flowers on Sam's head.

Teal'c turned to Sam. "And you the totem of bravery around Colonel O'Neill's neck." She placed a hand-made necklace bearing a small, colorful stone from near the stream around Jack's neck. "Samantha Carter, speak of your love and devotion to Jack O'Neill."

"Jack… I've loved you for a long time now. I can't imagine not loving you. I know I'll continue to love you for as long as I draw breath."

"O'Neill, speak of your love and devotion for Samantha Carter."

"Sam… I've loved you from the moment we first met. Never thought I'd be the one to go for 'love at first sight', but there you have it. I can't imagine not loving you. I know I'll continue to love you for as long as I draw breath."

Teal'c joined their hands together beneath his. "The rite is complete. May you love and fight like warriors!"

Jack pulled Sam to him for a slow, loving kiss. Teal'c moved away from them as they continued to kiss for quite some time.


End file.
